Edward Weston - Neil (1922)

[sergio caetano]

Saint Claus gave me a book : Edward Weston, published by Taschen. Among beautiful images there are two I didn't know, which in my opinion, have incredible bad taste (poor quality also). They are called Neil (1922). A naked boy , more or less 5 years old, standing up in a room. What should motivate somebody like EW, with an 8x10 camera, superb tonal range, resolution and printing techniques do such a thing ?

 

[bmac]

When I first saw that shot, I felt the same way as you do now. But then got to think about the different times than we are living in now. I still wouldn't buy a print of that image, and when I see it in a book, I flip past it, because I'm not interested. I too wonder what his motivation would be for a shot like that.

 

[juan]

When I first saw that image in the early 80s, it didn't bother me at all. Now it does a bit. We have just become so PC.
juan